I can’t add anything to the excellent comments here, except that this was fascinating to me - the whole idea of what WOULD we do to another human being if given the opportunity.
Andrew - Your series - your 'lagniappe' - has accomplished something remarkable. These extra pieces for your readers has this artistically uninformed dolt looking forward to receiving the next one ... and the next one ... I have no background in art at all but have enjoyed every one from Matisse to Yoko. You have greatly raised my level of 'art appreciation'. Going forward, I might have a bit more to discuss with my children and grandchildren who already have keen focus and involvement regarding art. Thanks.
Pardon the cliche, Biz, but that’s music to my ears. I hadn’t heard from you in a while and wondered if these art pieces appealed to you. It’s good to know you’re enjoying them. I’m learning a lot too as I research each piece. So that’s a win for both of us. Thanks so much for reading these pieces and for letting me know how you feel about them. I really appreciate it.
I admire artists who place themselves on display like this for their art—it's always an interesting experience to see. I remember there was another artist who took an exhibit like this to the next level and more than just clothes, let anyone do whatever they wanted to her. That one was even more disorienting than this, as the woman, beyond losing her clothes, was also harmed. The hive mentality that removes individual responsibility is a scary one...
Yes, it really is frightening. Thanks for using the term “hive mentality.” It’s very close to “mob mentality,” if not quite the same. Both convey an absence of personal responsibility that unsettles me. The other artist you mentioned sounds a lot like Marina Abramovic. It’s very telling that women tend to perform this kind of art. I think the dynamic would be different if a man tried it. Thanks for reading and sharing your observations, Beth. Much appreciated.
I was less disturbed by Yoko's performance and more fascinated, although I did wonder what her point was. Maybe she just wanted to be provocative as many artists often want to be. I am a respectful person, but if I had been in her audience, I too would gone on stage and cut a piece of her clothing because that's what she was challenging us to do. I appreciated all of the questions Deborah asked and it made me wonder if perhaps I am being too shallow in thinking about this or maybe I'm not being sensitive. Regardless I thought your story was an interesting one -- something I knew nothing about before. Thank you, Andrew.
Pam, it's so good to have you weigh in. If I had experienced Cut Piece in the 1960s, I'd have been nonplussed by the whole thing. Gobsmacked, actually. I'm not sure what I would have done back then.
Today, I think I would've declined to cut into her clothes. But I would have been fascinated to watch it. To be honest, though, I'm not sure what I would have done had I been in the room, watching and experiencing the event. If I did join in the cutting, I don't think I'd have have taken great swaths of her clothing or pulled off her bra when the idea was to take a piece no larger than a postcard.
It's weird to look at this work with the hindsight of 60 years and to have evolved as many of us have since its premiere. You and I are friends from way back, and I do know that you are indeed a respectful and kind person. So I'm convinced your cuts would have reflected who you are.
What I'm noticing is that Cut Piece is just like other works of art in that our reactions to it are subjective. There is no right, wrong, or objective answer. I love discussing and considering our various ways of seeing and experiencing this.
Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts. I had wondered if you were still receiving these between your overseas excursions. Nice to know that you saw this one and took the opportunity to let me know. Good to see you, Pam.
I'm not sure what to make of this. It was terribly disturbing. First of all, that she would open herself up that way , that others would consent to participate, and what that reveals about us. Was she appealing to the baser instincts of the audience, in a way daring them to come on stage and participate? Did the audience follow blindly like sheep when the first person had enough courage to take her up on the invitation? Did they think they were helping her show to be successful by doing as she asked?
I don't know, to me it seems like she was inviting the people who came to be cruel, to cut away her best clothes. To not participate in a way would be perhaps more cruel, to sit and watch nothing happen when she obviously had put herself up there so that people would take up her invitation. I think a show like that draws the type of audience that would be looking for a thrill, either as a participant or as a spectator. I don't think she was being modest. I think she was being daring and provocative, and even though she sat there passively waiting to see what each person would do, there would be a sense of thrill in that too. Performance art is a two-way street. She's interacting with her audience by placing herself there, by inviting them to strip her, by sitting so passively while they do so.
I don't see any antiwar message. I see an invitation to abuse. Ukraine did not invite Putin to come and strip away their humanity, nor did the Vietnamese. Nor did they sit passively while the enemy raped their land. Perhaps she's trying to reveal how base and cruel people can be when giving the opportunity? Don't we know that already? You've given me a lot to think about Andrew. And perhaps that's her point.
I think I would have found watching Gladiators in the Roman stadiums less disturbing than this. At least they fought back. Passivity in the face of cruelty or violence is what I find so disturbing. Inviting people to violate you seems sadistic to me, and that too I find disturbing. Well, at least I got to the bottom of what I found so disturbing. Understanding where this comes from helps. I feel better now. Writing about things always helps me understand things better. So thank you. I did get something from her performance art after all.
Gosh, Deborah. Now you've given me plenty to think about. You've walked around Yoko Ono's performance piece as one might normally circumnavigate sculpture. (Unintentional reference to your sailing expeditions.) And that's a good thing. A wonderful thing.
Thank you for giving Ono's work and my essay such a considered response. What you've said here feels organic and authentic. You're coming from both heart and mind. And I really appreciate that.
In doing so, you remind me that this is how we hope to interact with the world. Consciously, with feeling, and with authentic emotion.
You're the third reader who feels disturbed by this work, and I regret having put you all through that. It is a challenging piece. But as I said in the essay, I've been wondering for some time now whether any artistic response to the scale of today's atrocities is possible. Since this is the 60th anniversary of Cut Piece, I hoped it might offer some insight into what direction that response might take.
However, your reaction suggests one other hoped-for possibility. The fact that there are more people like you in the world today, people who are individual enough not to endorse the implicit violence of this piece. If Ono's intention was to uncover a dark truth about human behavior, she has also revealed a dark truth about herself as thoughtful viewers recognize an underlying sadism in the work.
Thank you so much for reading and sharing. I'll be thinking about your remarks for some time.
Thank you, Andrew. I appreciated the opportunity to wrestle with a type of art I wouldn't naturally gravitate toward. It's healthy to get out of one's comfort zones. How to respond artistically to the atrocities we see today is a difficult challenge but much needed.
Disturbing, like the previous commenter said, is how I feel about this, too. And the end of the video seeing her sitting there vulnerable and half clothed…perhaps it is the fact that she is trying to preserve a shred of modesty. If she had been nonplussed by her state of undress, perhaps it would have felt differently. Her act of modesty makes it feel even more of a trespass.
Yes, it does. I feel that too. Thanks for pointing that out. And thanks for taking the time to read and share this important insight. Much appreciated.
I find the cutting away very disturbing. Even though the audience is invited to do so, the intrusion into her personal space makes me incredibly uncomfortable. Perhaps it is because women are often seen as having no right to a personal.space.
It’s disturbing to me too. I’m amazed that she put herself through that more than once —and even at age 70. The point you make about how people tend to regard the personal space of women gets right to the heart of Ono’s message. Thanks for pointing that out. Thanks for reading and commenting.
I can’t add anything to the excellent comments here, except that this was fascinating to me - the whole idea of what WOULD we do to another human being if given the opportunity.
It’s like watching a train wreck, isn’t it? Mesmerizing. Thanks for taking a moment to read and weigh in with a response. I appreciate it!
Andrew - Your series - your 'lagniappe' - has accomplished something remarkable. These extra pieces for your readers has this artistically uninformed dolt looking forward to receiving the next one ... and the next one ... I have no background in art at all but have enjoyed every one from Matisse to Yoko. You have greatly raised my level of 'art appreciation'. Going forward, I might have a bit more to discuss with my children and grandchildren who already have keen focus and involvement regarding art. Thanks.
Pardon the cliche, Biz, but that’s music to my ears. I hadn’t heard from you in a while and wondered if these art pieces appealed to you. It’s good to know you’re enjoying them. I’m learning a lot too as I research each piece. So that’s a win for both of us. Thanks so much for reading these pieces and for letting me know how you feel about them. I really appreciate it.
You opened up a big can of thought here. I feel the way Deborah and Jenn feel here. So much to be said but it's been said. Good piece!
Thanks for taking time to read and share your thoughts, Deborah. Much appreciated.
I admire artists who place themselves on display like this for their art—it's always an interesting experience to see. I remember there was another artist who took an exhibit like this to the next level and more than just clothes, let anyone do whatever they wanted to her. That one was even more disorienting than this, as the woman, beyond losing her clothes, was also harmed. The hive mentality that removes individual responsibility is a scary one...
Yes, it really is frightening. Thanks for using the term “hive mentality.” It’s very close to “mob mentality,” if not quite the same. Both convey an absence of personal responsibility that unsettles me. The other artist you mentioned sounds a lot like Marina Abramovic. It’s very telling that women tend to perform this kind of art. I think the dynamic would be different if a man tried it. Thanks for reading and sharing your observations, Beth. Much appreciated.
Yes, that’s her, thank you! It’s the performance of “rhythm 0” from 1974.
And I agree, such performances are all both unsettling yet sadly, not wholly unexpected either.
I was less disturbed by Yoko's performance and more fascinated, although I did wonder what her point was. Maybe she just wanted to be provocative as many artists often want to be. I am a respectful person, but if I had been in her audience, I too would gone on stage and cut a piece of her clothing because that's what she was challenging us to do. I appreciated all of the questions Deborah asked and it made me wonder if perhaps I am being too shallow in thinking about this or maybe I'm not being sensitive. Regardless I thought your story was an interesting one -- something I knew nothing about before. Thank you, Andrew.
Pam, it's so good to have you weigh in. If I had experienced Cut Piece in the 1960s, I'd have been nonplussed by the whole thing. Gobsmacked, actually. I'm not sure what I would have done back then.
Today, I think I would've declined to cut into her clothes. But I would have been fascinated to watch it. To be honest, though, I'm not sure what I would have done had I been in the room, watching and experiencing the event. If I did join in the cutting, I don't think I'd have have taken great swaths of her clothing or pulled off her bra when the idea was to take a piece no larger than a postcard.
It's weird to look at this work with the hindsight of 60 years and to have evolved as many of us have since its premiere. You and I are friends from way back, and I do know that you are indeed a respectful and kind person. So I'm convinced your cuts would have reflected who you are.
What I'm noticing is that Cut Piece is just like other works of art in that our reactions to it are subjective. There is no right, wrong, or objective answer. I love discussing and considering our various ways of seeing and experiencing this.
Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts. I had wondered if you were still receiving these between your overseas excursions. Nice to know that you saw this one and took the opportunity to let me know. Good to see you, Pam.
I'm not sure what to make of this. It was terribly disturbing. First of all, that she would open herself up that way , that others would consent to participate, and what that reveals about us. Was she appealing to the baser instincts of the audience, in a way daring them to come on stage and participate? Did the audience follow blindly like sheep when the first person had enough courage to take her up on the invitation? Did they think they were helping her show to be successful by doing as she asked?
I don't know, to me it seems like she was inviting the people who came to be cruel, to cut away her best clothes. To not participate in a way would be perhaps more cruel, to sit and watch nothing happen when she obviously had put herself up there so that people would take up her invitation. I think a show like that draws the type of audience that would be looking for a thrill, either as a participant or as a spectator. I don't think she was being modest. I think she was being daring and provocative, and even though she sat there passively waiting to see what each person would do, there would be a sense of thrill in that too. Performance art is a two-way street. She's interacting with her audience by placing herself there, by inviting them to strip her, by sitting so passively while they do so.
I don't see any antiwar message. I see an invitation to abuse. Ukraine did not invite Putin to come and strip away their humanity, nor did the Vietnamese. Nor did they sit passively while the enemy raped their land. Perhaps she's trying to reveal how base and cruel people can be when giving the opportunity? Don't we know that already? You've given me a lot to think about Andrew. And perhaps that's her point.
I think I would have found watching Gladiators in the Roman stadiums less disturbing than this. At least they fought back. Passivity in the face of cruelty or violence is what I find so disturbing. Inviting people to violate you seems sadistic to me, and that too I find disturbing. Well, at least I got to the bottom of what I found so disturbing. Understanding where this comes from helps. I feel better now. Writing about things always helps me understand things better. So thank you. I did get something from her performance art after all.
Gosh, Deborah. Now you've given me plenty to think about. You've walked around Yoko Ono's performance piece as one might normally circumnavigate sculpture. (Unintentional reference to your sailing expeditions.) And that's a good thing. A wonderful thing.
Thank you for giving Ono's work and my essay such a considered response. What you've said here feels organic and authentic. You're coming from both heart and mind. And I really appreciate that.
In doing so, you remind me that this is how we hope to interact with the world. Consciously, with feeling, and with authentic emotion.
You're the third reader who feels disturbed by this work, and I regret having put you all through that. It is a challenging piece. But as I said in the essay, I've been wondering for some time now whether any artistic response to the scale of today's atrocities is possible. Since this is the 60th anniversary of Cut Piece, I hoped it might offer some insight into what direction that response might take.
However, your reaction suggests one other hoped-for possibility. The fact that there are more people like you in the world today, people who are individual enough not to endorse the implicit violence of this piece. If Ono's intention was to uncover a dark truth about human behavior, she has also revealed a dark truth about herself as thoughtful viewers recognize an underlying sadism in the work.
Thank you so much for reading and sharing. I'll be thinking about your remarks for some time.
Thank you, Andrew. I appreciated the opportunity to wrestle with a type of art I wouldn't naturally gravitate toward. It's healthy to get out of one's comfort zones. How to respond artistically to the atrocities we see today is a difficult challenge but much needed.
Disturbing, like the previous commenter said, is how I feel about this, too. And the end of the video seeing her sitting there vulnerable and half clothed…perhaps it is the fact that she is trying to preserve a shred of modesty. If she had been nonplussed by her state of undress, perhaps it would have felt differently. Her act of modesty makes it feel even more of a trespass.
Yes, it does. I feel that too. Thanks for pointing that out. And thanks for taking the time to read and share this important insight. Much appreciated.
I find the cutting away very disturbing. Even though the audience is invited to do so, the intrusion into her personal space makes me incredibly uncomfortable. Perhaps it is because women are often seen as having no right to a personal.space.
It’s disturbing to me too. I’m amazed that she put herself through that more than once —and even at age 70. The point you make about how people tend to regard the personal space of women gets right to the heart of Ono’s message. Thanks for pointing that out. Thanks for reading and commenting.